Page 37 of The Fall

I set my menu down and meet his gaze across the table. “Thanks for the rose. That was really sweet of you.”

He smiles, leaning back in his chair. “I like you, Cam. You’re beautiful and you have this...energy that I like being around. I know you’re younger than me, still in your child-raising days. Those days are over for me, but I definitely have room in my life for a girlfriend.”

I look down at the table, my inner voice sounding an alarm. If Harrison wasn’t an important client of the firm, I’d get up and leave. Any man who is done raising children is not the man for me. I have two energetic boys and I love them more than anything in the world.

“Well,” I start, planning to diplomatically tell him I’m not right for him. “I--”

“Harrison!” a barista calls out from the counter.

“Excuse me,” Harrison says, getting up from his seat.

He ordered before I got here. Is this what dating has come to these days? I take out my phone, hoping to see a text from Tess telling me I need to come home immediately.

Maybe Tate’s feeling bad again. Maybe she had plans tonight she forgot about. Hell, I’ll come over and take out her trash if she needs me to. Anything to escape this asshole who just dismissed my kids before even having the privilege of meeting them.

There’s nothing from Tess, but I do have a voicemail from the Denver County State’s Attorney’s Office. I furrow my brow, wondering why they’d be calling me. My phone says the call came into my phone at 2:34 p.m. today, but the voicemail just came through.

I listen to it, not caring if Harrison finds it rude.

“Hi Cam, it’s Nate from Amara Morris’s office. I wanted to let you know that Jacob Dunley is being released from prison early. There’s an overcrowding situation and since he’s had good behavior, he qualified to get out early. Looks like he’s getting out on...let’s see...this Friday. I know this is upsetting. We argued against it but were unsuccessful. Please call me back if you have any questions on this or if we can connect you with any resources. Thanks.”

I sit in stunned silence for a few seconds, feeling dizzy. I put my hand on the table to steady myself and force a deep inhale.

My stalker is being released from prison three years early. Three fucking years. I knew there was a possibility of early release for good behavior, but notthisearly.

“Everything okay?” Harrison sits down across from me, a mug in hand.

“No.” I put my phone in my bag, willing myself not to cry until I get out of here. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

My throat is tight and suddenly it’s so hot in here I can’t stand it. I mumble another apology to Harrison, not looking athim. Then I grab my coat and bag and run for the door, running into a chair that someone’s sliding back to get out of.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the woman says.

“It’s okay.”

I can’t look at her, either. I keep my eyes focused on the door, still unsteady from the dizziness.

If I can just get out that door, I’ll be able to breathe again. I race for it, the man coming through it giving me a polite nod and holding on to it until I get there.

“Thanks,” I say under my breath, practically stumbling outside.

The icy air hits my face and I gulp in a deep breath of it, grateful. I’m breathing so hard that the air stings my throat. I see an empty bench and start walking toward it, a hand on my arm making me stop.

“Cam--”

“No!” I yell, instinct taking over as I tear my arm away even though the person isn’t holding on to it.

It’s Rowan, wearing jeans, a blue-and-gray flannel, a black wool coat, and a dark baseball cap pulled down low. He steps back, his eyes darkening as he narrows them. “What the fuck did he say to you? I’m gonna drag his ass out of there right now.”

I’m still processing that Jake could be back in Denver by this weekend. It takes me a second to go after Rowan.

“No, Rowan. Stop!”

He turns, the fury in his gaze taking me aback. He’s always easygoing, rarely even in a bad mood. I’ve never seen him like this.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

It can’t be a coincidence that he’s at the coffee shop where I met Harrison. I didn’t even tell anyone I was coming here. My stomach rolls with a sick sensation. Is he following me?

---